Many integrated circuits (ICs) are designed to receive and to transmit high-speed digital data signals. Data signals are transmitted between devices (e.g., integrated circuits) in a circuit system through a connector, such as a circuit board or backplane. A data signal that is transmitted between devices in a circuit system through a connector may become attenuated. The attenuation of the transmitted data signal may be frequency-dependent.
For example, a data signal transmitted through a connector may receive more attenuation at higher frequencies than at lower frequencies. The waveform of the data signal as received at a receiving device may contain a significant amount of distortion caused by the greater attenuation at higher frequencies. To compensate for these changes in the waveform of the data signal, an equalizer in the receiving device boosts the high frequency components of the data signal to recover the components of the data signal attenuated through the connector.